Student Ejected After Displaying Israeli Flag at Talk

Controversy erupts as flag display leads to confrontation during pro-Palestine event in Limerick.

A student’s decision to display an Israeli flag at a pro-Palestine event in Limerick resulted in his removal from the venue, sparking widespread controversy and drawing condemnation from an Israeli government official.

Flag Display Prompts Ejection

Jamie O’Mahony, a Dublin City University (DCU) student, attended a ticketed talk featuring historian and political scientist Prof Ilan Pappe. According to O’Mahony, he aimed to “protest and challenge” the speaker’s views.

After sitting through the speech, O’Mahony says he voiced his opinions in the form of a question, which led to audience members booing him. He then unfurled an Israeli flag, prompting a physical confrontation. Video footage shows a man confronting O’Mahony, before the student was ejected from the event.

Outrageous incident in Limerick, Ireland where a Jewish student was assaulted for waving an Israeli flag at an anti-Israel event.

The Irish government must act to ensure the safety of Jewish students in Ireland. pic.twitter.com/jKEmYyJv61

— Arsen Ostrovsky 🎗️ (@Ostrov_A) July 7, 2024

Zoe Lawlor, chair of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC), stated that many attendees were Palestinian, including some recently arrived from Gaza. She called raising the flag “a provocation.”

O’Mahony said that during the confrontation, someone tried to forcibly remove the flag from him. He also claimed that he was dragged out of the room by a group. According to a recent study, acts of antisemitism, such as harassment, vandalism, and assault, rose nearly 400% in the weeks following October 7 (ADL).

Aftermath and Reactions

O’Mahony reported the incident to the police, but declined to press charges. He stated his concern about being “painted as the aggressor.” Amichai Chikli, Israel’s Minister for Diaspora Affairs and Combatting Anti-semitism, criticized the incident.

The person who allegedly grabbed the flag has been identified as Dr. Ger Downes, an employee at the University of Limerick (UL). Lawlor asserted that O’Mahony‘s actions were pre-planned and intended to disrupt Prof. Pappe‘s talk. She regretted that the incident detracted from the talk itself, which she described as “really inspirational, very important, very powerful.”

Prof. Pappe‘s talk was part of a three-day tour in Ireland, with other events held in Dublin and Cork. Prof. Pappe is known for his views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which diverge from the Israeli government’s stance.